While there are many types of relaxation techniques to calm ourselves during tough times like these, art therapy is one of the best methods to turn to for us to unwind and enjoy. You may find that doodling or group art sessions can be great stress relievers when you are anxious, nervous, or have too many thoughts cluttering your mind.

Here are 5 fun and therapeutic art projects for stress relief that you can try out.

• Doodles : This exercise can be done at any time and almost anywhere. Start with something small like a shape or a couple of lines and then let the pen take over. You can doodle while on a phone call or while listening to meetings. You can make it fun by taking down your notes as doodles. It helps with concentration and remembering topics spoken about more easily. Doodling is one of the easiest art therapy exercises to turn to during a busy day.
• Group exercise  :  The more is always the merrier. This exercise is a way for you to have fun and bond as a family by creating a masterpiece together. It is an art game where each person gets to contribute their illustrations and doodle to the big picture but they only get a minute before passing it on to the next person.

1. 1. 1. Take a large piece of paper and cut it into random shapes(Eg. If there are 4 people playing, cut the paper into 4 pieces)
      2. Give a piece to each player. Ensure everyone uses the same side of the paper.
      3. Start drawing, painting, or even writing words down. You only have a minute to pass the piece of paper to the next player. Continue until all the pieces are full.
      4. Tape the pieces of paper together at the back and Voila! Your combined masterpiece is done!

• Mandalas : This is one of the most popular ways to unwind today. You can draw your mandalas while listening to music or podcasts. Bonus points if you reduce your screen time! You can start with a small shape like a flower, preferably at the center of your page, and keep adding shapes, designs, and borders around it until the page is full. By the end of it, you will feel like you’ve completed a meditation session. Manadala art therapy’s benefits are numerous.
• Art on objects around you :  This art therapy activity could be used objects like an empty plastic bottle or chocolate wrappers or more eco-friendly objects like dried leaves and stones. You can use any kind of medium for your art; crayons, paints, or chalk. You can take fun up by a notch by using these objects to create a collage and tell a story.
• One liner comics : This is similar to doodling. Has there been a time when someone has said something amusing to you or did something funny and unusual? Draw it out! It would be nice if you had a separate booklet for your comics. The drawings needn’t be perfect as the focus is it’s more on creating a visual journal about your day. It’s a guarantee that if you’re consistent with your comics, your observation will improve and you’ll have a book full of fond memories to look at and smile later.

Through these art exercises, you can get into your ‘zen’ mode and brace yourself to face what comes your way. The purpose, though, is defeated if you put yourself under pressure to perfect the work or get competitive over it. It is crucial that you just relax and have fun to enjoy the therapeutic experience these activities have to offer.